Nocturne in C
by Ryuuza
Summary: A bit of a love polygon. Nuriko does his best to fulfill his destiny...as seishi and in other ways. Can he help Hotohori look past Miaka and see the one who's been waiting there all along?
1. Prelude

_Disclaimer:_ I cannot even write Fushigi Yuugi in Japanese.  Or Chinese.  Or Swahili.  Or Italian.  Let's just say I don't own it.  'Cause I don't, y'know.

_Author's Note:_ This was supposed to be a Nuri/Tas fic.  Didn't turn out that way.  Then it was supposed to be a Nuri/Hoto fic.  Not sure it's turning out that way either…-.-;;

_Warnings:_ Shounen-ai, musical terms, unrequited love.  *sigh*

Nocturne in C Minor

_Prelude_

Maybe he was supposed to be over it by now.

Maybe he was supposed to let go with graciousness and dignity, as befitting his status.

Maybe he was supposed to be glad she'd found someone to love so deeply.

Maybe he was supposed to be thankful that the man she loved now would treat her well and cherish her like he had.

Maybe he was supposed to forget the days and months and years he'd spent dreaming of her.

Maybe he was supposed to be honorable and let them be the perfect, golden couple while he slunk, nobly but unnoticed, into the background.

Maybe he was supposed to smile over his pain so she would believe he was pleased that she was with someone else.

Maybe he was supposed to suppress the tears that threatened to fall every time he looked at them together.

Maybe he was supposed to ignore the fact that he still loved her.

Maybe he was supposed to wish her happiness.  Even if it wasn't with him.

Maybe he was supposed to.

But he wasn't there yet.

--

_Notes:_ It gets better.  Really.  The prelude is just setting things up.  Can you guess who "he" is?  And who "she" is?  Let me know!! ^^

Nocturne: An instrumental composition of a pensive, dreamy mood, especially one for the piano.


	2. Overture

_Disclaimer:_ Do you own Fushigi Yuugi, Mei?  Nope.  Do you own Nuriko?  Nope.  Do you own Hotohori?  Nope.  How about Kourin?  Nope.  Dangit, what DO you own then?  *blinks* Well, I own a teddy bear.  And a possessed imagination.  Along with some CDs and books and a pair of jeans or two and…

_Author's Note:_ Nuriko and Kourin are 10 and 9, respectively, the ages that were assigned to the year of Kourin's death.  This is, um, before all that.

_Warnings:_ Shounen-ai, musical terms, a Chinese-American's [poor] usage of Japanese…my version of Mrs. Chou??  

Nocturne in C Minor

_Overture_

"Suzaku no Miko?" It was the clear, sweet voice of the young emperor who had uttered those three words, curiosity ringing in his tone.  He cast inquisitive eyes to his advisor, an old man who had served the late emperor for many years.

He replied, with a deferential bow of his head, "Hai.  She is a young lady of the legends—one who will come from a different world and gather the seven seishi to summon Suzaku."

Seishuku Saihitei, the ten-year-old emperor of Konan Country, fell into a contemplative silence at those words.  _Suzaku no Miko_, he thought.  _A girl from another world who will come and summon Suzaku_.  A girl of legends.  He closed his eyes and tried to imagine what she would be like.

He wasn't sure how old she'd be—around his age, Saihitei decided.  A girl who wouldn't treat him as a precious, redoubtable object to be worshipped and treated with the utmost care.  She would be bright and cheerful and, though respectful, would never object to displaying her emotions.  She would envelop him in her passion, so lively that he would be swept away with her, the sound of her laughter bringing warmth to the cold, imperial halls of his palace.  She would love to laugh because he couldn't bear the heavy silence that wrapped itself around him under the guise of reverence.  Someone who would treat him as a person, not an emperor, someone who would dispel his cloak of loneliness like a cool autumn breeze.

Someone beautiful…

The emperor sighed, the first genuine smile in days crossing his lips, as he dreamed of the Suzaku no Miko, the girl who would come from another world and change his life.

"Suzaku no Miko?"

The woman, though no longer in the first blushes of youth after bearing three beautiful children, was still lovely when she smiled at her youngest child.  "Hai," she replied softly.  "Would you like to hear the legend, Kourin?"

"Hai!" answered the girl, wide-eyed in her enthusiasm.  Though only nine years old, she had already developed a deep passion for the legends that had been passed down for generations.  Her mother, fortunately, was more than willing to share them.  As she opened her mouth to speak, her daughter interrupted her with a cry of "Matte!"  The young girl bounced out of her chair and left the room, returning moments later with her older brother in tow.

"Ryuuen wants to hear it, too!" she chirped.

"Hear what?" the woman's second child wanted to know.  A boy, ten years of age, remarkably strong for his slim frame, and like enough to his younger sister in features to pass as identical twins.

How she loved her children, the woman thought to herself, a fond smile on her face.  Even her eldest, who tended to cower at numerous things that Ryuuen wouldn't bat a long-lashed eye at.  They were all precious to her, especially when they stared at her with hopeful expectation of another legend.

"The Suzaku no Miko," she began, and smiled again when her son's eyes lit up.  She was aware that he'd heard the tale before, perhaps more of a fanatic for legends than even Kourin, but he was always willing to hear it again.  As her children seated themselves in front of her, she continued, "She is a girl who lives in another world.  A world completely different from ours.  But one day, she will come into our world.  She will appear in Konan and as Suzaku no Miko and it will be her duty to summon Suzaku, our god.

In order to summon him, Suzaku no Miko must first gather together the seven shichiseishi of Suzaku.  The seven seishi will be her protectors, warriors who will continuously risk their lives to keep her safe.  They will each have a unique talent and will be determined from everyone else by their sei symbol, somewhere on their bodies."

Ryuuen's expression flickered.

Mrs. Chou smiled and went on smoothly, "The seven seishi will be known by their constellation names: Tamahome, Hotohori, Nuriko, Chichiri, Tasuki, Mitsukake, and Chiriko.  No one is certain if they will be men or women, perhaps both, and they will serve the Suzaku no Miko.  They will endure many trials and hardships, through many dangers and risks to their lives, they will finally triumph.  The Suzaku no Miko will have gathered all seven seishi and then, finally, the summoning ceremony will be performed.

The Miko will be cleansed and then all seven shichiseishi will gather round her, as she throws the scroll of the **Universe of the Four Gods**, which is currently in the hands of our Heika, into a burning fire.  She will recite an incantation and pray and then, hai, then, Suzaku will appear before them."

"Aah," breathed Kourin, enraptured.  "Suzaku."

"Suzaku no Miko will then be able to keep Konan in peace forever, and everyone shall live in harmony."

"What a pretty legend!" Kourin exclaimed.  Her eyes danced as she turned to her brother.  "Do you think she will come?  Suzaku no Miko?  Could the legend be true?"

Ryuuen's look was not somber but nether was he smiling.  "Ne," he said thoughtfully, "perhaps."

Saihitei hugged himself, the silken covers of his bed pooled around his waist as he sat in the darkness of the night.  His thoughts were still on the young lady of the legends, the one who would come and eradicate his loneliness…

"Perhaps," he whispered to himself, "she'll love me, as well."

Ryuuen shook his long hair out, droplets of warm water dancing in the light as they were flung into the air.  He sat up in his bath, shivering in the coolness of the room, despite the fire in the corner.  With a trembling hand, he smoothed over the skin above his heart, tracing a birthmark he'd been questioning since he had first heard the legend of Suzaku no Miko.

Yanagi.

A sei symbol.

In the shadows curtaining the doorway, his mother watched him.  _You are destined to be far more than a cloth merchant_, she thought with a sad smile, _Nuriko_.

--

Nocturne: An instrumental composition of a pensive, dreamy mood, especially one for the piano.

As translated in the English manga: | Suzaku no Miko: Priestess of Suzaku | Hai: yes | Matte: wait | Sei: star | Shichiseishi/seishi: celestial warrior | Heika: emperor | Yanagi: willow |

_Note:_ In the anime, the book is titled **The Four Gods of Sky and Earth** but in the English manga, it is known as **The Universe of the Four God** which I thought seemed more fitting. ^_^;; Sounded better.__

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Glomps from your favorite FY character if you review!!  Now, if that's not an incentive, I don't know what is… Mention your favorite character **in the review** [[ooh, bold—big hints!]] and next chapter, you'll receive glad tidings. ^^ Yes, and glomps.


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